


I trust you

by the_gusu_patriarch



Category: Aladdin (2019), 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018), 镇魂 | Guardian - priest
Genre: Alternate Universe - Aladdin (Disney Movies) Fusion, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Cute Shěn Wēi, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Identity Porn, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by Aladdin (Disney Movies), Light Angst, M/M, Shameless Zhao Yunlan, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27004756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_gusu_patriarch/pseuds/the_gusu_patriarch
Summary: Zhao acted on his instinct and entwined his hand with the beautiful man's. "Do you trust me?"It was a stupid question, truth to be told. They hadn't even known each other for an hour and Yunlan was speaking of trust.Their eyes met and in one of those fairy tale moments, Shen couldn't help but want to maintain the eyelock.Inadvertently, he nodded, "I trust you."OrAn AU inspired by Aladdin, with Prince Shen Wei, Detective Zhao Yunlan ft. Genie Da Qing
Relationships: Da Qing & Zhao Yunlan, Dà Qìng & Shěn Wēi, Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning : Mentions of abuse, minor character death mentions. 
> 
> Not beta'd. Please forgive my typos. 
> 
> The characters belong to Priest. Please don't copy any part of my work. 
> 
> Haha, I have no life and we all need some soft WeiLan. 
> 
> Happy reading.

The cold shadow of moonlight cascaded over the Monarch Palace, a sight that was worth being captured into one's memory, a delight to look at. The intricate carvings on the walls held the heritage of the Shen dynasty. It was probably the safest place in the entire kingdom, with soldiers placed at every corner, vigilant to the smallest of sounds. 

From any of the windows, one could savour the refreshing view of the lush cover of exotic flora blanketing the ground, with a marbled fountain, where drops of water jumped and thrummed like pearls dancing and falling, pure and untouched. 

Hushed whispers often lingered around the broad corridors, stifled within the whirlpool of power, patronage and politics of the royal court. Gold and jade in appearnce, what went on behind the doors was a subject of detestation. 

"How many times do I have to tell you?! You are prohibited from stepping outside this room!" Spat a voice that was familiar to every citizen of Dixing. One that belonged to the current ruler, Wang Yun. 

The person facing his wrath lowered his head, "But I do not mean any harm to anyone, jiù jiù. I promise I shall not speak at all." 

A harsh slap landed across the youth's face, accompanied by venomous words laced in sugar. "Shen Wei, you dare not question my decisions! How old are you? What have you seen in the world?! Don't you forget that you are a curse to this family!" 

The Prince had nothing to say in his defence. Every part of the sentence his uncle had said was the raw truth. 

"Go to your room." Ordered the elderly royal, twisting the ring on one of his fingers. 

Shen Wei made no move. His feet were glued to the floor, as though a statuesque spell was casted upon him. 

"Prince Wei, go to your room or I will do something that will hurt." Wang Yun dug his nails into his nephew's arm. He could tolerate anything, except disobedience and lies. 

"I may not be able to explain how or why I am not a harm. But, according to the rules, no one can prohibit my free movements, Your Majesty." The young man looked into the eyes glaring at him. 

It had taken him nine sleepless nights to muster the courage and place his finger at his uncle's unjust decision of restraining him to his room. If he went back now, all of it would go down the drain.

_________

"You never learn your lesson, young Prince. You are but a monster in disguise, you deserve worse than this!" 

A wooden of box was thrown on the carpet, before the door was slammed shut. 

Shen's golden robes were stained in blood from the base of his neck to the end of his spine. He didn't make a sound, only laid down, having no strength to move. 

The wounds on his back burnt against the frigid tiles. Now that he was alone, he didn't have to put up a façade anymore. He didn't have to be the headstrong Prince, who argued with his uncle on a daily basis. 

"Why? Why do I have to be the one?" He exhaled, realizing that he had made a mess that the servant would now have to clean up. 

To save them from extra work, he forced himself to get up and reach for the object that had been abandoned by his dearest uncle to cover his deeds in the name of caring for him. 

Undoing his inner robes, a mild wince escaped his trembling lips. No matter how much his endurance had improved over the past few years, it would always hurt. The process wasn't as painful. It was always the aftermath. 

________

"Ma! Are we going to the angel festival today?!" An eight-years old Shen Wei bounced on his toes, trailing behind his mother. 

The woman, with an aura of warmth, bent down to ruffle her nephew's hair. "Dear, it's annual festival. Not angel festival." 

Xiao Wei's plump cheeks turned red, "An-annual. Annual!" 

"That's right, Ah Wei." Although she had a bright smile dancing on her lips, her eyes were brimming with concern. "Will you do something for your Ma?" 

"He isn't our son!" Wang Yun, who had been a spectator to the heart-warming interaction between his wife and nephew, snarled in disgust. 

Shen chewed on his bottom lip, unable to make sense out of his uncle's words. His aunt never forbid him from addressing her as mother. 

He had never seen his birth mother. Never asked about her, since his aunt always showered him with abundant affection, from making his favourite dishes to reading him a night-time story. 

"My lady," the man began taking slow steps to grab the child's wrist. "This, here, is an abomination! A living and breathing curse! Jie was so happy when she had gotten the news of her bearing twins and what did this waste-of-space do? He killed both my sister and his twin!" 

Little Shen didn't know much about the big words that his uncle used. However, from all that his school lessons and his profound interest in languages and arts, he manages to grasp the basic message. 

He hadn't killed anyone. Not even the fly that sometimes hovered around his ears and disturbed his sleep. 

With a heavy frown at his small forehead, he interjected, "Jiù Jiù, I did not k- kill my didi o-or my other Ma." 

"A-Yun, he is just a child. Can you mind your language, please?" The woman covered Shen's ears, to protect him from the lash out of her husband. 

"A-Ling, I can't lose you. If you keep staying close to him, I'm afraid our little one will be the next victim of his ominous self!" On his wife's request, Wang Yun had spoken softer, yet, his intention didn't undergo a change. 

In an inauspicious turn of events, three days later, Madam Wang was diagnosed with an unknown illness. 

Wang Yun had called every single medic of Dixing, tried all the treatments stated in the books, had the priests purify the entire palace. However, the inevitable cannot be reversed by humane attempts, especially when one represses the other, blinded by superstitions. 

Madam Wang and her unborn kid passed away. A wave of sympathy had washed over the citizens, who had first displayed apathy towards their Queen's brother. Winning the election by an unprecedented majority, Wang Yun had taken over the reigns of Dixing, changing the provisions of the constitution in the name of taking stringent measures for protecting the Kingdom. 

Though he had managed to manipulate the clauses related to legislation, he couldn't play around with the sections and schedules of heritage --- where it was stated in Crystal clarity that once the lineage of the King turns twenty-one, irrespective of the authority handling the affairs temporarily, with the exceptions of marriage or death. 

Legends have it that if there is a monster that one must truly be afraid of, then it's not the one with a crooked face or poisonous claws, it's the one inside their minds --- much more hideous than their outer self. 

Wang Yun's soul was writhing in the untamed agony of losing his family. His sister, his wife -- everyone who he ever loved was gone. Though he was entitled with enough riches to buy any material good in the world, he wasn't rich enough to buy a life. 

As a result of unbridled rage, he had sworn to avenge his unborn kid's life by making his nephew -- the root of all the sorrow suffer until his very last breath. 

The people of the Kingdom fawned over their Prince. If Wang Yun would kill or injure him in the public eye, there was a certainty that he would be overthrown by them. Hence, he had chosen to make the youth's life, no less than a living hell. 

Shen Wei was isolated from the rest of the world, confined to his room with minimal and only necessary contact with people. The only person who would ever speak to him without running for the hills was his maid, Wang Zheng. 

He had tried persuading her to leave him at his state, in attempt of protecting her from the bad luck he brought. 

However, the petite female had smacked the back of his head and reasoned that she is capable of making her own choices and did not need the royals to advice her. 

Other dreamed of living the life of the Prince. Everything served on a silver platter, with thousands of people at his beck and call. 

Only the close-knit group of ministers and a handful of servants working close to the Royals were aware of the gut-wrenching reality. Plots and ploys in pursuit of power, every step calculated to precision, morality torn to shreds. Whether it was to rob a child off his share of smiles and exploration or to pin the blame on an innocent to reduce the burden of grief, in all honestly, the royals deserved apathy. 

"Remember, your innate nature is to devour. You kill whoever you stay with. Imagine the amount of blood you will have on your hands if I set you free. I'm doing this for my Jie." 

That was all his uncle would tell him, if he was in the mood to avoid whipping his nephew. 

Who would expect that the flower-like delicate Prince would be subjected to a torture similar to that of a traitorous captive. 

_____

"Your Majesty, I have found the panacea to the plethora of all your problems!" 

There was only one man in the Monarch Palace who would dare to chirp like a morning bird before the King. 

"What is it, Regent?" Wang Yun threw him an unimpressed look, wiping his hands to rid his skin of the crimson marks. 

The man with noodle-like hair, stroked his beardd as he articulated his thoughts, "I was going through our legal--" 

"Come to the point." Interjected the King, with hands behind his back, treading along the hallway. 

The Regent let out a nervous laugh, "My Lord, to put an end to your agony, we must get Prince Wei married. Or when he turns twenty-one, he might stake his claim of lineage." 

"He wouldn't dare." Wang spoke through gritted teeth and an earth-shattering certainty. 

"Your Honour, the next elections are round the corner. Unfortunately, the Prince's birthday precedes the legal process. And it is no surprise that the people of Dixing adore him to bits." The Regent looked into the King's eyes, playing his cards at the nick of the moment. 

Wang's thoughts faced a distortion. For a split second, his vision was engulfed by a white noise. 

_Whatever I say is absolutely right. You shall not disagree with me._

"Whatever you're saying is right. We must look for appropriate suitors." King Yun parroted like a puppet under its master's command. 

The conversation leaked past Shen's door pulling him out of his reverie. His blood ran cold. The torture was fine. The isolation was bearable. It broke him, but he could go on, until the day he would find a way out. 

Marriages in Dixing were more of an agreement, a formal alliance between families exchanging their children, as though they were lifeless goods. Same-sex marriages weren't frowned upon, albeit not many opted for it, due to their personal preferences or the perceptions ingrained in them by their narrow-minded parents. 

Shen didn't want a marriage. He didn't want to drag someone down or bind himself into a relationship, where there was no love, only compromise. 

This was the last straw for him. It was a do or die situation. Once the dreadful process of match-making would begin, all exits would be bogged down by surveillance from the royal court and attention of the civilians. Better die trying than resign to fate and look back at his choices in regret. 

  
The prince rushed to his closet, which was full of outfits belonging to a fashion designer's fantasy. He would repeat four out of the four hundred robes he had, owing to his belief that nothing is as charming as simplicity. With every fleeting second, nerves bundled in the pit of his stomach. His brain threw multiple visions at him. Visions of the fallout that would occur if he got hitched to someone. Not only would his royal name be changed, but also his identity-- the only constant he had clung to would be taken away from him. How could he even court someone without knowing them?

Wang Zheng had Shen's permission of entering and leaving his room, without knocking over and over like the other servants had to. She pushed the door open, feeling the cold metal of the handle under her clammy palm -- the royal chef didn't have an easy life being the incharge of making sure that each person within the premises sleeps with a full belly. 

Her eyes widened at the sight. The usually organized to perfection space -- where not even a single thing was out of place looked as if a tornado had made a visit. There wasn't enough gap for her to set foot without stepping on the royal's belongings. 

"Your Highness..." The female's jaw dropped, when the prince walked out of the bathroom clad in black from top to bottom. His form was drowning in a cloak, much larger than his size. 

"Lady Wang, you've come at the right time," He nodded at her in a polite greeting, despite the panic flaring within his chest. 

"What happened? Why are you dressed up like this? What's going on in that head of yours?" Wang fired a flurry of questions, shutting the door behind her.

Shen Wei retrieved a magenta-colored pouch from his sleeve and placed it on his bed. "I am leaving this place. All I need from you, sister Wang, is to distract the guards at the backyard. This," He gestured towards the object he had fished out, "is for you. It's all the money I have saved up from the gifts I got on festivals. I am not taking a single dime from this place. Consider this as a farewell gift." 

The royal chef had a hard time processing the information that had been dumped upon her. "But... why?! Do you have anyone who can shelter you for the night? What will you do out there without money or a house?" 

Shen refrained from rendering an answer. He did not have the time to narrate the whole tale. He had restrained his impulse for too long now. If not now, then never. 

"Sister, if we meet again, I promise to justify my actions. Please do your little brother this favour." He stared at her with eyes full of hopes like a puppy on the street waiting for someone to pick him up and feed him. 

"You better have a good explanation for this." 

______

Zhao Yunlan rolled his eyes for what he would call, the thousandth time in a day. "I am not interested in being the negotiator! That stupid King wouldn't even let me in! What if he attacks me?! Are you ready to lose the _most precious asset_ to this administration?" He raised his brows and threw his hands in the air to emphasize his point. 

Minister Gao wanted to jump off the building. He hated his colleagues for pushing him into the quicksand of dealing with the motor mouthed SID Chief. "Chief Zhao, you are a man of capability and prestige," _Prestige my ass! He looks uneducated and unruly. If only he wasn't so smart with his words._ Clearing his throat the older man continued, "If Dixing and Haixing havce cordial relations, we all would gain the benefits. The Dixingren would have access to the sophisticated technology and modernized equipment, while we can use their natural resources to empower our industries."

"And you want me to be your scapegoat." Zhao inferred, unwrapping a lollipop in leisure. He had figured it all out when the administration had called him for an emergency meeting. 

"No! No! We dare not endanger the life of the Guardian!" The minister explained hastily, afraid he had failed his responsibility of convincing the Chief. 

Zhao struck the iron while it was hot, remembering that necessity was the mother of invention. "Alright. I have a condition. The Seastar Adminsitration will build a school exclusively for Dixingren, in case the alliance takes place and shall provide them with free education, while the salary of my staff will be doubled." 

No pain. No gain. Minister Gao didn't have a wide array of options to select from. "Definitely. Will be done." 

"Make the arrangements." With a discreet smirk on his lips, Zhao strutted away from the office. 

All the way from SID to the Administration's backyard, where the portal would be materialized for his departure, Zhu Hong had nagged him constantly about how he shouldn't go alone. 

"Hong-Jie, in my absence, you and Lao-Zhao have to handle everything. Stop eating my braincells." He sighed, rubbing his temples, though his head was absolutely fine. 

Zhu slapped his arm with all her vigour, "Do you even have a brain in the first place?! I can't believe you agreed to them." 

Chu Shuzhi shook his head in disbelief. The bickering idiots didn't pay heed to him and resumed their argument. He couldn't believe why and how they would find the energy to constantly throw retorts at each othe, regardless of the time and place. 

"I can manage myself! Also, I'll find someone to hook up with maybe." Zhao, the shameless brat, chortled, waving them goodbye and disappearing into the inter-dimensional pathway. 

The next thing the SID Chief knew was his unsteady feet stumbling against the pebble-filled ground. He opened his eyes to find himself at his destination. The Sky was of the shade of Indigo tainted in black, no clouds to mellow the dark. 

He dusted himself off, noticing the time difference between the two realms. It didn't take a genius to guess the location he had landed at. It was an alleyway. 

"Why didn't they drop me at the palace directly? Fucking morons." He grumbled, taking his phone out. Adding insult to injury, his phone had lost connectivity. 

This was the worst day ever. He concluded, stuffing the device back into the pocket of his pants. 

The streets of Dixing reflected it's ethnicity with stalls lining up from one corner to the other, walls illuminated by fairy lights and lanterns. The sellers and the buyers were clad in traditional attire, even wearing ornaments and joyous smiles.

"Two for ten! These are the best herbs you can ever get!" A short man lifted his hands with a small bottle in his grip. 

If Zhao had money, he would merrily spend it all here. Alas, he did not carry gold coins. Paper money here probably amounted to nothing but scrap. 

His gaze wandered around, most of the people had a plus one, walking hand in hand with them and for an unknown and unexplainable reason, he felt how lonely he was. 

Drinking the nights and smoking the days away did fill the gap for a while. He dated a few people --- men and women, but no relationship of his lasted longer than two months. His previous partners complained about his communication gap and how he never had time for them. It wasn't his fault, per say. The SID had heaps of cases to solve and being the Chief, he still had lots of work to do, despite slacking off in between. 

He had never really harboured strong feelings towards anyone. That was the main reason for his short-term flings. Maybe he was destined to die alone. That didn't sound bad, in some ways. At least, it was better than dragging someone along in a meaningless relationship. 

"Kind Brother, can you please guide me to the palace?" Zhao Yunlan asked, wondering if it would be rude to take a smoke right now. 

The man eyed him as though he was an alien. "Where... did you get the clothes from? You're not from here... are you?" 

Yunlan licked his lips, reaching for the talismans he had brought along for situations as such. He really should have prepared better before arriving here. Nonetheless, the damage was done. There was no going back.

"Kind brother---" 

"Intruder! Intruder! Fellow brothers! Inform the general now!" 

That seemed to grab all the eyeballs in the market, pinning down glares of hostility at the stranger. 

"I am the master of Guardians! I have a certified pass!" He pulled the pale sheet of inked paper out, flailing his arms. 

"We don't care about the pass! You Haixingren are so selfish! Locking us all here and keeping all the resources to yourselves!" One of the mischief makers stirred the bee's hornet, as the others agreed with him. 

Facing an agitated crowd was never a smart idea. In the moment of fight and flight, Zhao chose the latter. 

Now he understood why Minsiter Gao would lose his wits, whenever he had to visit Dixing for the renewal of the peace treaty. It also shed light on his limitless ambitions of smoothing the lines of communication for the resource-access. 

Yunlan ran for his life. His lungs burned in deprivation of oxygen and accumulation of lactic acid in his muscles. If he successfully passed the night, he would find a way to meet the King the next day. For now, survival was the priority. 

Spotting a narrow lane, he used up all his strength to dash into it. In the heat of the moment, where he was running aimlessly like a mindless goose, Zhao crashed into someone, tumbling down together onto the ground. 

"What--"

He clamped the person's mouth shut with his hand, as his own chest rose and fell in rapidity. "Don't... Don't scream..." 

The Chief made a mental note on improving his physical stamina by some training techniques. His face rested against the chin of the other man, who obeyed him without hesitation. 

Once he was certain that the crowd had dispersed in different directions, trusting his auditory senses, he lifted his head, only to meet the most bewitching pair of eyes that he had ever looked into. 

His breath, that he had just stabilized was once again stolen from his lungs. He couldn't see the whole face because of the mask that the other one wore, yet, his heart skipped a beat. 

He took his hand off, curious as to what the mask concealed. "Are you okay, beautiful?" 

Shen Wei snapped out of his trance, when a faint mumble fell onto his ears. His cheeks were on fire and he had never been more thankful for the accessory saving him some face. 

"Please... move." His voice cracked in the middle of the words. 

Zhao almost didn't want to. The position was too comfortable. Except, he had to. Or the shy beauty might beat him up for his creepy tendencies. 

The Prince adjusted his robes and voiced out the first thought of his mind. "Sir, are you alright?" 

"Of course! What could happen to me? I'm stronger than I look." Zhao's lips curled into a genuine smile. The tension that had stiffened his shoulders dissipated when the stranger returned the curvature of delight. 

"I need to go..." Shen exhaled, despite his heart yelling at him to stay a little longer. There were a million question stemming inside him, as to who the handsome man was or where he came from, because his dressing sense spelled it out that he wasn't a native. 

Zhao had sensed the urgency in the young man's voice. Instantly, he felt an urge to protect him. "Where to? I'll accompany you. I have nowhere to go. Might as well take a trip." 

Shen's lips parted in surprise, "Sir... you don't have to..." 

Before he could complete his sentence, a sharp cry pulsated through the alleyway, "There he is! He also has a partner!" 

The royal was too stunned to move. This was it. He had blown up his one final chance of escape. 

Zhao acted on his instinct and entwined his hand with the beautiful man's. "Do you trust me?" 

It was a stupid question, truth to be told. They hadn't even known each other for an hour and Yunlan was speaking of trust. 

Their eyes met and in one of those fairy tale moments, Shen couldn't help but want to maintain the eyelock. 

Inadvertently, he nodded, "I trust you." This was a blind leap of faith. If there was dead end on one side, then there was a fiery pit of hell-fire on the other. And the Prince would instead burn in the repercussions of pauperization and misery than to dwell in a golden cage. At the minimum, he would have the satisfaction of trying. 

Both the men didn't have a map to guide them through the maze-like streets of Dixing. To Shen, it was a matter of embarrassment, he was the Prince, he was supposed to know every nook and corner of his kingdom like the back of his hand. 

They bolted together, the two things uniting them was the mission to escape the sight of the soldiers and their hands. 

"Why are we going into the woods?!" Shen Wei exclaimed, barely catching a breath. He wasn't used to physically tiring tasks, having spent majority of his life in his room, with his nose in the books. 

"Beautiful, I'm new here and I don't know shit. Woods seem safe. Don't worry, I've got you." Yunlan squeezed his hand in reassurance. Whether or not he makes it safe, he had resolved to keep his word and help the heavenly human accompanying him. 

The whip marks scarring Shen's back were stinging again. The medicine he had applied had worn off. Panting, he withdrew his hand, kneeling at the ground. "Don't..." He took in a gulp of air, "Dont wait for me!" 

Yunlan was a few steps ahead of him, halting his feet. "As if I would leave you here." He muttered under his breath and jogged to the beauty. 

"Are you... does something hurt?" He touched Shen's back, as a gesture to offer comfort. 

Coincidentally, the touch had made the stinging worse. Involuntarily, Shen winced. "No... nothing."

Their little break had given the soldiers the time to catch up with them. Galloping of horses echoed through, bouncing off the tree trunks, coupled by the rustling of dead leaves. 

The concern in the bearded man's eyes pierced through Shen's heart. He had never had someone care for him, lest be worried about his wellbeing. 

Even if he gets caught, he didn't want this alluring foreigner to get into trouble. Regardless of his purpose of visiting Shen's kingdom, he was the first person to make him feel something apart from disdain and self-loathing. 

_For him. I must get up for him._

"Run!" With a new-found vigour, they scrambled away from the previous spot. 

The cloak had already come off, but Shen couldn't pay mind to such trivial inconveniences. As long as his mask was on, no one would recognize him. It's not a daily occurrence for the Prince to be chased down like a mad dog by his own soldiers. 

"Oh fuck..." Zhao eyed the broken bridge in front of him, warily. There was no other choice. If they didn't jump, the rascals would nab them. He wasn't worried about his safety as much, somehow, he would use his word-play and slip out of their grip. His companion though, seemed like someone who wouldn't utter a word and could be guilt-tripped into confessing anything. 

He had first ensure that the material of the bridge was strong enough to sustain a landing. Thus, he, very reluctantly, left Shen's hand to lunge to the other side, rolling onto the grass in safety. 

"Beautiful! Jump!" He commanded, raising his arms. 

"I can't!" Shen turned to find the silhouettes nearing them. 

"You can do this! For me!" Yunlan stood nearer to the edge. He didn't want the other one to fall into the murky waters or get his fragile bones broken. 

Shen Wei did what he would call the boldest thing in his life. Adrenaline ounoed through his veins and he fulfilled Yunlan's demand. 

He had expected to fall onto the mud and make a fool of himself. Nonetheless, he was caught by a pair of arms, secured around his waist. 

"See? You're so brave!" Yunlan praised, fishing out a few talismans to create a thick layer of smoke and buy some time for them to find a hiding. 

Zhao Yunlan couldn't believe his own acts. It was rare for him to be kind to someone. Had it been ChangCheng being scared to jump? He would have used coercion to coax him. Yet, he could not being himself to raise his voice at this mysterious angelic being. 

"I don't think they are here!" One of the men spoke, unable to make out anything due to the sudden mist. 

Zhao put his hand over Shen's mouth, signalling him to not make any sound. Their faces were too close for people who weren't in any sort of relationship. Shen Wei had never known what it feels like to be embraced and he counted this half-hug as one. 

His heart swell. If only he could hold on to this fleeting moment. There was a crack in the walls he had built up, a perception that the world was cruel and no one truly cared for other. He must have donated pearls in his past life to have bumped into a Godly human. 

"If you're wondering why I didn't use those talismans before, it's because I need to keep my mind focused while chanting the spell. If not, it can backfire." Zhao clarified, as he didn't want the other one to misunderstand his intentions. 

Shen nodded, waiting for Yunlan to removed his hand from his mouth. 

Yunlan stared at him expectantly, then had a light bulb moment that he wasn't letting the beauty talk. 

"My apologies, beautiful," He chuckled at his own stupidity. It was his method of preventing further embarrassment. Not that he would ever feel this way, but he just didn't want the beautiful man to think of him as stupid. 

Now that they didn't have swords hanging over their necks, Shen and Zhao trudged together to find an appropriate place for resting. 

Their footsteps were unintentionally synchronized, as though they were used to walking beside each other. 

"What's your name?" The SID Chief stuffed his hands into his pocket, to avoid the urge of holding the nameless beauty's hand again. Either he was drunk or there was something irresistible about this guy that was making him lose his sense of suspicion and distrust. 

Shen chewed at his lower lip. Revealing his true identity would be a stupid move. He might be naïve, but he wasn't stupid. 

"Luo Chang... I'm Luo Chang." 

Zhao would have caught the lie, if he wasn't distracted by the innocent lip chewing that was ridiculously hot to him. 

"I'm Zhao. Zhao Yunlan." 

"That's a unique name..." mimicking the other man's action and took a seat at one of the large boulders. "Where are you from?" 

Zhao unwrapped a lollipop and suckled on it to treat his taste buds after the tiring yet thrilling adventure. "I'm from Haixing. Don't tell me that you've never heard of--" 

"Haixing?!" Shrieked the prince, losing his balance and falling at his butt. In the sheer surprise, his mask God-knows-how slipped off his face. 

Zhao Yunlan had to pause all his thoughts and actions, as he gawked at the majestic view. _Luo Chang_ was the definition of beauty. Jet black hair flew down to his waist, his skin appeared softer than the clouds on a sunny day-- especially under the tender luminosity of the Moon. His eyes spoke volumes in a secretive language, which the detective wanted to decipher, to unveil all the secrets and slice down all the troubles of the man. This must be his imagination. There was no way in hell that someone could be this mesmerizing. 

"Wh... what are you looking at, Zhao Yunlan?" Shen squirmed under the soul-piercing stare, self-conscious of his looks. 

"Come again..." Yunlan wanted to her him say his name again, utter those syllables with his sinful lips which were tempting the SID Chief to steal a kiss. 

"Is there something on my face, Zhao Yunlan?" The royal was still in the same position, hands resting against the supple blades of grass and knees propped up. 

Yunlan pushed all the dirty thoughts to the back of his mind and helped Chang up. "There is something on your face and in human language, we call it _beauty."_

Shen opened his mouth to say something in contradiction when his tongue found saccharine sweetness in the form of a small sphere pushed into his mouth. His accomplice snickered in triumph. 

"What's this?" He took the sweet out, holding the thin plastic stick attached to it.

Zhao blinked. He was at a total loss of words. "Uh... it's something you eat. Just lick it." The master of exaggeration proceeded to make obscene movements with his tongue, in the pretext of teaching _Luo Chang,_ as to how to eat a lollipop. 

Shen Wei watched him with doe-like eyes, similar to what he would do when his teacher would explain and important concept. The unintentional innuendo completely flew over his head. Without providing much thought to the hows and whys, he wrapped his lips around the lollipop and hollowed his cheeks, unaware that the pervert beside him was having a hard time restraining himself from pouncing at him. 

It was literally a sweet torture. And the worst part was that the Prince was looking right into Zhao's eyes, while devouring the candy. To him, it was something new, never seen before wonder from the other side of the world. Therefore, he savoured all he could. 

"Where are you heading to? You are carrying nothing except that mask of yours." Zhao enquired, admiring how the sky was clear, where the stars could shine without the thin layer of pollutants acting as a hindrance. 

Shen had no answer for that. He had no clue as to where he would go. "I ran away from home. I'll find a job and stay---" 

"You what?! Luo Chang, are you serious?! If you run away from home, you don't go empty-handed! Without money, medicine or weapons, what will you do for a living? Be a stripper?" Technically, he was the most careless person in existence, yet he was here scolding someone else. The thought of _Luo Chang,_ falling in harm's way unsettled him thoroughly. 

Shen's brows creased lightly. "What is a stripper? Am I qualified to be one? I'm okay with any job." 

Yunlan didn't know if he should have laughed or cried. "You," He sucked in a deep breath, "Will never think about being a stripper. It's a stupid job. Don't ever become a stripper." His blood boiled at the scenario of drunk men taking undue advantage of the shy beauty. 

"I won't. If you say it's bad, then it is bad." Shen Wei was done with the lollipop and deep down wished he could have more of it. Nothing from the palace was as delicious as that cheap candy. 

"Yunlan, why did you come here? I have read in books that Haixing is a picturesque realm with advancement in several fields. How is it like... to live there?" Shen diverted the topic of the conversation, eager to know more about the dashing detective. 

"Haixing is... entirely different. We don't have royalty there. Everyone is equal. We am not fundamental rights and liberties. But as they say... the grass looks greener on the other side. It may look like a desirable life, when in reality, everyone runs after money, day in and day out." In an introspection of his own life, answered Zhao. 

"Xiao Chang, don't frown. Everything has its own good and bad. You can never have delight without some kind of sorrow attached to it." The SID crew would have laughed their asses off at their Chief's words. He sounded like a wise saint, though he was far from it. Neither would he call himself wise, nor a saint. All of what he had spoken was a mere fluke of his experience over the years. 

Whenever they would catch a criminal, they would find that the crime had its roots in the evils of the society. No one wanted to live a life in the fear of being caught or attain wealth by depriving someone else off it. There was always a reason, and in most of the cases, the cause was a devastating event, a tryst with fate. 

Zhao hadn't taken note of his zoning out, until he felt a soft nudge at his shoulder.

"Is everything okay?" Shen was on his knees, awaiting Yunlan's reply. 

"Aiya, Luo Chang, why are you sitting down there?" Yunlan had smoothly dodged the question about his mission, slightly perplexed at how gullible the other one was to not have observed it. 

"I was..." The tips of Shen Wei's ears went red, "I was asking if you would want to lay down next to me and gaze at the sky..." He blushed furiously, as if he had just asked Yunlan's hand in marriage. 

Zhao ducked his head to coo silently. He was certain that Luo Chang was a fragment of his imagination or how could someone be adorable even when asking a simple question? 

Yunlan had slipped his jacket under Shen's head to prevent his luscious locks of hair from getting the mud on them. 

Moments like these are what he had craved over the years. They laid in silence, giving each other space, yet somehow, it didn't feel awkward or strange. Zhao wasn't forced to engage in small talk like he would, when spending time with others. There wasn't a single fibre in his body that didn't relish every fleeting second of the night. A part of him secretly wished to have frozen the time, so as to let this night be endless. 

"Why did leave your home, Luo Chang?" The more important question was now put forth the royal. 

"I... I want to be free." Shen answered, honest and quick. Making note of the expectant gaze from Yunlan, he elaborated, "I want to know what the morning Sun rays feel like against my skin or what it is like to dance in the rain. I want to bargain with the vendors about the highly-priced goods and run errands like others. I want to see the wonders of the world --- the mighty mountains, the rivers converging into oceans, the starry sky... I want to feel _alive_ , no shackles or apprehensions around me." 

Zhao's features softened. The wishes were mundane, the normality for others was a privilege for the beauty and it made his heart clench. "Are you not allowed to go outside?" 

Shen Wei shook his head, "Jiù Jiù says I'm unlucky..." A slight pause and his eyes widened. He recoiled nearly ten steps away. "You shouldn't sit near me. You'll be affected!" 

"Affected? With what? Your charm? Too late, my poor heart can't help but adore it." Yunlan put his hand on his chest, to lay thick on his flirty statement. 

"No... no... you... it's not good. It's not good." All lives that were lost, some faces engraved into Shen's memories, some names tattooed in his brain, all swirled like flashes mixed together in a bloody image beneath his eyelids. 

Zhao discerned the gravity of the issue and threw his flirtatious advances away. "Luo Chang... what on earth are you talking about?! We are safe here. I swear I won't let them get to you!" 

"It's not about me..." Contrary to the mess he was inside, Shen sounded rather sorted. "Zhao Yunlan... It's not about me. I am not supposed to have social contact. You're not supposed to talk to me." 

"Supposed? Are these some twisted rules of the Kingdom? Listen, Xiao Chang, I'm an adult. I can and will make my own decisions. You or your rules can't do that for me." He said, cautiously nearing the youth. 

Even with Wang Zheng, the Prince would always keep a certain distance, afraid that she would lose her life in return of her kindness. Zhao Yunlan had saved him tonight, had given him the second-chance at life. If something happened to him, because of his cursed self, Shen would never forgive himself. 

Zhao's heart ached at the how petrified Chang was, the fear painted all over his face. "Let me tell you a secret! You see this?" He took the pendant around his neck off and waved it in the air. 

Shen didn't bat an eye, too engrossed in ogling at the object. 

"As long as you wear this, not even a hint of bad luck can taint your shadow. It's made out of the purest jade and the water of seven seas, enchanted by Lord Kunlun's spell of welfare." The confidence with which he spoke could fool even a cunning man, lest Shen already had given him his trust. 

Every single word that he had uttered was nothing but fabricated lies to simmer the raging storm that was dismantling the beauty's composure. In his opinion, if a lie could be helpful in healing someone's soul, even temporarily, then it was fine. 

In two strides, he sealed the distance between himself and Shen Wei. "Consider this as a small gift." With that a small sound emerged from the titch-lock of the pendant, now that it was adorned by someone else.

A grin blossomed on the prince's face, like flower blooming across the seasons. "You're not lying... are you?" 

"Of course not! It's the truth!" Claimed Yunlan, in a tone used to state obvious facts. 

Unshed tears made their way to Shen Wei's eyes. In the fading darkness, there seemed to be a twinkle in them, which drew Zhao closer and closer. He wanted to know which devil in human disguise had brainwashed him, he wanted to look after him. 

His gaze flickered from the Prince's eyes to lips, "May I... can I kiss you?" 

Shen's hands were on the detective's shoulders, while the latter had wounds his arms around the former's waist. 

However, one mustn't forget that good things do not come easy and if they do, then comes a price owing to the pace. Before their lips would meet, they were yanked away from each other with muscular pair or arms wrapping around their middle respectively. 

"Prince Wei! His Highness has been so worried about you?! Why are you roaming around with this Haixingren?!" The armoured man growled, in a way a father would scold his son. 

"General Yi, let him go or I will do something you will regret!" 

The platoon of soldiers stood dumbfounded at their Prince's action. Never had they ever witnessed him raise his voice, or say something that would be considered impolite in any manner. 

Lang Yi scoffed, "His Highness will do something worse. Let him go and you," He aimed the head of his spear at the master of Guardians, "Don't even let your shadow tip the boundary between our and your realm. We want no connections with Haixing." 

The army general wouldn't have missed the opportunity of getting a raise in his pay and position --- which was easy to achieve, had he turned the Guardian in. But the fierce fire in Shen's eyes screamed rebellion. Before this encounter, he had almost always found the royal's gaze bereft of any emotion. His fatherly side had won over the need to serve his master unconditionally. 

Zhao's eyes didn't leave Chan-- Wei's. The guilt of lying flashed over the Prince's face and all Yunlan wanted to do at the moment was to embrace him and tell him _that it was okay, that he wasn't mad at him._

Shen was bad at reading people. He was aware of this flaw in his thought process. And his genius brain had taken no time in grasping the worry lines on Zhao's forehead as a sign that he despised him for lying. 

"Let me go!" The royal struggled against the hold of the general. He couldn't let the Haixingren leave without giving him an explanation. 

Lang had done beyond what was acceptable, within the confinement of his royal oath of never disobeying the King. He pressed two of his fingers at a certain spot on Shen's neck, knocking him out in a span of ten seconds. 

"Xiao Wei! I promise we will meet again. Don't let these...." The rest of the words were jumbled into a gibberish as his sight grew blurry until all that was left was complete darkness. 

"You fucking asshole! I will get back at you for this!" Zhao roared like a wounded tiger, helplessly glancing at the unconscious Prince. He would keep his promise. Come what may. 

"The only reason I am letting you off the hook is because Prince Wei had commanded so. If I see you anywhere near the border or near our Prince, then it won't be good." 

Lang dismissed his subordinates, ordering them to get the royal safe to the palace. With an awkward sigh, he resumed his shovel talk. 

"In case you wish to court his Highness, then touch luck, Guardian, the answer is no. The King is looking for suitors and soon his marriage would be fixed." With nothing else left to say, he pat the Haixingren's shoulder in a silent warning and marched away. 

If it wasn't for the certificate from the Authorities and General Lang's patience, Yunlan would have been as a good as dead meat. For once, those assholes of officials had done something good. Just because he was allowed to leave alive, it didn't imply that he had the free pass to move around Haixing. 

From hear-say, people knew that the current master of Guardians was a fish-mouthed walking menace. What they didn't know was that... He was the most thick-skinned human and once he vowed to do something, he would keep trying until the sky crumbles over his head.

_Wei doesn't look like he would want to get married. Not allowed. He will marry whoever he wants. Not any other guy. Maybe he will want to marry me someday. I have a chance and that Wang loser can't take it away from me._

Stealing clothes hadn't been much of a task. He practically had a Ph.D. in sly work of hands, making it a walk on the cake to snitch like an expert. 

Zhao wasn't accustomed to wearing an outfit of this type. Thus, he wasn't surprised by his waddling, in his endeavour of preventing himself from tripping over the robes and falling face first onto someone's feet. 

On passing a lake, he noticed a lump of black trashing around in the waters with all its strength. "Meow! Meow!" 

Immediately, being an animal rights activist, Zhao dived into the water body and swam in the direction of the cries. Were Dixingren so merciless that one of them left a cat to drown and die? With great difficulty, he carried the furry to the land and got a better look at it's form. 

The cat was heavy, to say that would be an understatement. It's eyes were squeezed shut as weak coughs left it's mouth. A pair of tiny bells hung around it's neck, as it struggle to breathe. 

Caring for someone, irrespective of their state, wasn't Yunlan's forte. Of course, there were exceptions like the beautiful Prince. But that was an entirely different story. 

"Fatty, don't die on me. I don't even have an axe to dig the ground up and bury you. I can cremate you though..." Amused by the glare that the cat gave him, Zhao mused out loud. 

"You stupid human! I won't die!" Bellowed the cat, on all its fours, tail hoisted in the air. 

Yunlan partially believed he was hallucinating and desperately needed a smoke. "You... can talk!" 

"Huh, what do you take me for?!" The feline pounced upon the human, tapping it's paw at his clothed chest. 

"A cat? What else do I take you for? You're a Yashou, aren't you? I didnt know Yashous stayed at Dixing." The bearded man grabbed the nape of the cat's neck moving it away. 

The said Yashou transformed into the form of a youthful man, chubby and shorter than Yunlan. "I am not just a Yashou. I am a _genie_ Yashou. And since you have saved me, which mind you," He raised his brows, "Wasn't a necessity... Nonetheless, I'm obligated to fulfil any three wishes of yours." 

Zhao looked the furry-turned-human dead in the eyes. "A genie..." In no less than a second, he burst into hysterics. His blunt laughter reverberated in the open space. 

Fuming, the Yashou, emitted a low growl and the SID Chief was hauled up, hanging mid-air. The sniggers ceased abruptly. 

"Wha... you... Genies don't exist, Fatty!" Retorted Zhao, recovering from the shock. On a second thought, being suspended without any strings pulling him around felt like an otherworldly sensation. 

"I have a name. It's Da Qing." The supposed Genie brought the human back on the surface, when the latter seemed to be enjoying the threat, instead of trying to run with his tail between his legs.

"Da Qing, I don't believe you. Frankly speaking, I have heard folklore belt out churned stories on Genies and Fairies. If you really are what you say, then prove it," Opportunity doesn't knock on the door twice. And none was an opportunist, as spectacular as the cunning detective. 

Da Qing narrowed his eyes, baring his cat-like pupils. "You dare challenge me? I will prove it to you!" 

Yunlan rummaged through the inner sleeve of his garment and pulled a mask out. "Then, _Qing-Qing,_ prove your identity by giving me the information about the owner of this accessory." 

The feline held the mask, closing his eyes. "Aiya, it's the Prince's mask. Prince Shen Wei. Orphaned at birth, he was raised by his aunt for the initial years of his childhood and then by his uncle. He has a thick v--" 

"Thick ass? I know that. And man, do I dream of groping it!" Zhao interrupted, with an annoying smirk plastered on his lips. 

Da Qing's eyes flew open and the Yashou gagged, "Fucking idiot! I was talking about virtue! The Prince has done a lot of good deeds in his life, helpful and kind. He has a sensitive heart and a sharp mind--" 

Once again, the Genie was cut off by his saviour.

"Sharp mind? That might be applicable in academia. Practically speaking, he is so innocent. I want to protect him from the world." Yunlan sighed to himself, mumbling, "That explains a lot though. Shen Wei... Shen Wei... _Shen Wei!"_ His smile was blinding, as if the Sun had come up in the middle of the night to shine. 

"Perfect name for him! Luo Chang sounded like that guy in the office who steals food and slacks off work!" He was as excited as a child is while receiving gifts on Christmas. There was no stop to his rambling. 

"Shen Wei, just... the name makes me go all wild! Ey, Fatty, you know what? I was about to kiss him, those lips on mine... Ugh! It would have been heavenly. But no, that scoundrel King had to intervene through his soldiers." He cursed like a sailor, who was deeply in love with his ship and someone had dared to damage it. 

"You perverted freak, just tell me your wishes, so I can go back to my dried fishes and my beauty sleep." Grumbled the Yashou, stifling a yawn. 

Zhao was about to voice his desires out, when Da Qing beat him to it. 

"Three rules to be kept in mind. One, I can't raise the dead back to life or make someone fall in or out of love. Two, once made, you cannot take the wish back. And the most important rule, you cannot wish for smartass things like _"Give me unlimited wishes"_ or _"Bless me with immortality",_ if you do, your wishes will be cancelled out." Da Qing's lower half transmorgified from limbs to swirls of smoke, as his skin went from the natural shade to a midnight-blue one. A tacky, glittery shirt had replaced his previous t-shirt, and his wrists were encompassed by golden bands. 

"So much for what..." Zhao snorted, internally amazed at the Yashou's abilities. 

"Human--" 

"Its Lao-Zhao for you, Catty." 

"Ah, Xiao Zhao, we Genies have our own customs. There is no fun without some spice! Also, you must be humbled to see my otherworldly beauty." He circled Zhao, whispering the words right into his ear. 

Zhao flinched, backing away. "Fucking creepy." _Not bad though. Who knew a fat cat will lead me to my beauty._

"Did you understand my terms and conditions?" Yunlan eyed the lengthy scroll held by the Genie, who was rather smug about his abilities. 

"Uh... I am not gonna read this. Just summarize it." He quipped, mouth curve upwards.

"You are asking for this." The scroll vanished, as though it never existed and a whirlpool of glimmering flares encompassed the detective. 

"Hey, human, listen to me, 

  
I'll open the doors for your ecstasy, 

  
Old clothes of yours, let me replace them,"

The Cat slash Genie sang with background music emerging our of nowhere. 

Zhao looked around to find himself in a cave, his clothes changing in a bat of an eye. The human's mouth hung open, with no words to say. This was insane. 

"Anyone hurts you, oh let me taze them!" Da Qing let out strings of electricity from his fingers causing the rocks near, to collapse into dust. 

Yunlan had squatted to avoid the unintentional attack. "What the fuck!" 

"Oh, my stupid human, you'll never find a friend like me, 

  
Who can fight a war, singing and dancing in glee, 

  
You can be the master, the one to command, 

  
In a second, I'll run your errands, 

  
Sprinkling magic and sorcery, 

  
I'll change the world that you see!" 

Visuals of a variety of reasons and creatures sparkled like fireworks, disappearing and reappearing. Zhao's body wasn't in his control as he danced to the tune that Da Qing sang with a Chesire Cat grin on his face. 

If someone were to tell Yunlan that this would happen to him on his casual meeting with the King, he would have laughed it off. 

"Spill out all that you desires, 

  
I'll take you the heights, higher and higher, 

  
The service is free for you saved my life,

  
The offer stays her for a limited time..." 

The singing got slower, so did the melody, as Yunlan clapped his hands with a yell, "Listen to your motherfucking master and stop this!" 

Genie or not, Da Qing was primarily a cat. Instinctively, he obeyed the man. "Didn't like it?" He rubbed his chin, deep in thought. 

"You need therapy, fat fuq." Zhao remarked, rolling his eyes. 

Da Qing let out a sound between displeasure and agreement. "Anyways, did you understand? I organized this cheap opera for your dumbass." 

Snapping his fingers, the Yashou stretched his arms, summoning a tent, as though they had come for a picnic. 

"You should inform me before doing things!" Yunlan groaned, seated on a backpack beach chair. 

Da Qing waved his hand in dismissal of the complaint. "Get used to it, Xiao Zhao. And please for the love of cat food, let's get to business." 

"I... I want someone..." The detective was at a loss of words, in one of those moments where multitude of emotions gnawed at his heart. 

"Are you really that dense? I spelled the rules out already!" Cried in disdain the feral furry, wishing he was saved by someone else. 

"You don't get it..." In a sluggish manner, he set his cigarette alight, getting this thoughts in order, "It's not one-sided. We were about to kiss." 

"Oooh, another love affair. Haha, who is it? What's her name?" Da Qing was completely invested in the gossip and the heartbreak tales. 

"He's an angel. Literally. He's got those eyes..." A shaky exhale followed by what the Yashou would call heart eyes, "And that hair, I want to play with and braid it.

"Is he pretty?" Da Qing winked in suggestion, intrigued at how love-sick the brat was. 

_"Beautiful!"_ Zhao could feel tears in his eyes and found no proper explanation as to why he was crying. Then again, at some point, everyone cries over something too precious.

"He is perfect, in every way possible. And his smile... I'm certain that no other smile in the world can compare to it. I want to look after him, set him free from the royal confinement of duties that have bogged him down. I want to cuddle him, take him to the movies and make out in the theatre. Show him the world and fulfil all his desires." Fiddling with the burning cancer tube, Zhao felt better after letting it all out. 

"You told me everything except what's actually important. What is his identity?" The feline bit into an Apple, having all the time in the world, but no patience. 

"He is the Prince! My dearest, Shen Wei..." 

Da Qing broke into violent coughs, spitting the bite-sized piece out. "What... the fucking Prince?! You really are audacious!" 

"Ah-uh, as I said, it's mutual. He likes me... maybe." At the end of the day, Yunlan did find his confidence faltering due to the lack of interaction with Shen.

"His bitchy uncle is fucking planning his marriage. Look, fat fuq, my only wish is him. I'll earn everything else with my own intellectual abilities. Just... I want him. I can't stop thinking about him. Hell, now I get how people fall in love at first sight." The cigarette was now on the ground, stomped over by Zhao's feet. The rush of nicotine had allowed him to come to terms with his hopeless case of the illness of love. 

Nothing decent ever comes out of a vulgar mouth. At the foul language, the ten thousand year old male could only cringe. "You're from Haixing. He is from Dixing. Do you really think that your love will sustain the cultural gap?" He hadn't paid complete attention to Zhao's animated narration or he would have said it earlier. 

Finally. A very valid concern was highlighted by the magical being. All these years, he had served a thousands of masters, obligated by their favors or deeds. However, the young man who saved his life was an exceptional specimen. Unlike the others, this one was detached from the lust for material welfare and seeked what only a few had the courage for... true love. He wanted to pin point that this could be his infatuation and he must not waste such golden chances over someone he had known for a single night. Regardless, the passion with which Xiao Zhao had admitted his cheesy feelings had touched the Yashou. 

"I will do whatever he wants me to do. If he wants to stay here, then I will shift my department to this ancient realm. His company is like a forbidden fruit, and I have a lack of interest in fighting my temptations." Lao-Zhao plucked another cigarette, which he couldn't even feel between his lips, as it was confiscated by the Genie. 

"If you smoke at this rate, you will die before meeting him," An incomprehensible urge rose in Da Qing's head, an intuition that his connection to this smoke addict would last longer than intended. "We are not sure about his feelings yet. It's better if you meet him once again." 

"I am not allowed to enter the palace, unless its to slaughter me and feed my body to the dogs."

Da Qing smacked his master's arm, "You will go there as one of the suitors! That way, no one will lay a hand on you." 

"Can you make me a prince?!" The speed at which Zhao got up induced his mind to go dizzy. Except, he couldn't care less about his health. 

"Of course! Make a wish, fake prince." Fat fuq wiggled his brows, spinning around in a circle.

"Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince."

If chaos had a beginning, then this was it. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you trust me?" Yunlan extended his head, hit by nostalgia of their first meet. The first time his heart had felt something other than loneliness. 
> 
> Shen looked him in the eyes to confirm if the question was what he had just heard. "What did you say?" 
> 
> "Do you trust me?" Zhao repeated, staring back in a fight to not lose himself in those eyes for another time. 
> 
> Taking a step, till his toes were hitting the foot of the railing, he gave his hand to Yunlan. "I trust you." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta'd. Please forgive my typos. 
> 
> The Characters belong to Priest. Please don't copy this work. 
> 
> Happy reading!

Shen Wei was half-conscious, walking on the tight-rope of disorientation and restlessness. "Don't... don't hurt him!" 

The quilt pooled at his waist, sweat droplets descending down his milky white skin. He touched the pendant, to ensure that the events of last night weren't his dream. To his relief, it was clasped in its place. "Zhao Yunlan..." 

Afore him calling for Wang Zheng to know what exactly happened, loud knocks thrummed against the door. "Your majesty, may I come in?" 

"Yes." Shen's voice was scratchy, throat parched and thoughts in shambles. If Yunlan was in danger because of him, he would go berserk to save him. No doubt in that. 

"Your majesty, the King has asked for you to put these clothes on and- and present yourself in the court for the match-making process." 

Though Shen Wei did not speak a word, his hands fisting the sheets along the hostile frown at his brows, made his agitation obvious. 

________

The following week had been one-hundred percent torture-- albeit, the tables turned as the Prince drove each guy who came to see him by using out of box and radical methods that included, but were not limited to, pretending to be insane and laughing constantly, asking vexatious questions ranging from how much land does a man need? or how many stars shine in Dixing's sky alone? and the like. 

The King's hands were tied to his back, as he couldn't let his malicious side enter the public eye. Or the citizens would overthrow him in a jiffy. 

"Let him try all he can. Regent, a dying flame dances before it's dispelled by the wind. Once he gets married, his partner will tame him." 

Was all that Wang Yun had stated, when his closest minister had condemned the prince's antics in a deliberate provocation. 

It was a normal day, (Shen Wei had gotten so used to acting-out-of-character that it had become normal for him) when beating of drums, loud chattering and a never-heard-before melody resounded along the streets of Dixing leading to the Palace. 

Curious, the Prince headed to the balcony to witness the commotion. Wang Zheng stood next to him, despite his disapproval. 

"Make way, it's Prince Kunlun!

Say hey, it's Prince Kunlun!" 

With an approaching procession, the commoners scrambled away to evade the probable stampede. The buzz of trumpets got louder and many others stood at their terraces to not miss the grand and unannounced event. 

Men and women dressed in outlandish clothes led the parade chorusing the song that revealed who the guest was. 

"Hey, clear the way through the old bazaar, 

And you, let us through it's a brand new star, 

Oh, come be the first to the block to meet his eye,

Make way, here he comes,

Ring bells, beat the drums, 

You're gonna love this guy!" 

The man intonating the song was standing on a mini-dais that had wheels attached to it, rolling in ease, in spite of the bulky weight of the more than healthy stranger, followed by a giant fake camel, being pulled by an elephant. It was a marvel as to how the performers were moving around without being run over by the structure. 

"Prince Kunlun, fabulous he, in all his glory, 

You take a bow, oh do it now, 

To come and meet his

meet his spectacular coterie!" 

Zhao, the guest, beamed from ear to ear, easily adapting to the role of a Prince. One week of practice had borne the fruit of the grandeur with no hiccups in the ride. The praises being showered at him only added smugness to his expression, which was unless reeking of anticipation and a relentless yearning for a certain someone. 

Da Qing was having the time of his life, grabbing eyeballs of the gawking spectators. He felt like a clown in a circus -- integral to the show and admired for his indecipherable actions. 

"Prince Kunlun, mighty is he, in all his glory, 

Strong as ten, regular men, definitely, 

He's faced the galloping hordes, 

A hundred bad guys with swords, 

Who sent their goons to their lords, why, His Majesty!" 

_Hordes, my ass! Where is Xiao Wei? Remove these damn showy fans or I will jump off this camel thingy!_

As though, Da Qing read his mind, with a blast of confetti, the plastic hindrances were taken away and the gorgeous Prince entered Yunlan's line of vision. While the music went on and the others were ogling at his charm, Zhao tried his best not to scream in joy. Though the distance between them was equivalent to a hundred miles or so -- both literally and figuratively, unadultered delight thumped in his heart. 

Remembering that he had a part to play, Lao-Zhao waved at the crowd in enthusiasm and even blew kisses in both directions, adjusting his lengthy hair -- all thanks to the Genie for his appearance was that of a true blue royal. 

Shen Wei shook his head in disbelief. Whoever the suitor was, he was certainly a pompous fool. His maid, tapped his shoulder, making a gesture with her fingers to indicate how loaded the other royal was. 

_Indecent. Very indecent, Mister Kunlun. I like someone else. I like Zhao Yunlan. Not you._

There had not been a single moment when the young Prince hadn't longed to meet Yunlan again. Every night, he stood by his window hoping that somehow would catch a glimpse... which was impossible truthfully speaking. 

General Lang had saved him from getting the beating of his life by making up the story of someone abducting him and the troop killing the culprit at sight. In return, the King had tightened the security, much to Shen's dismay. 

"Prince Kunlun, handsome is he, in all his glory, 

That physique, how do I speak, weak in my knees!"

Da Qing had changed his attire into a female's taking things beyond the plan, carried away by the galore. 

"This Fatty will never listen to me..." He spotted the disappointment on his crush's face and his smile went from proud to awkward. If his Wei didn't like it, then what's the point of all this? 

_Xiao Wei... please smile for once._

They moved close and closer to the Palace and Kunlun started throwing the gold coins among the civilians to mask his growing nerves. Zhao Yunlan never got nervous. Prince Kunlun, though, wasn't as bold. He was but a fool in love. 

"Heard Prince Shen Wei's hot, 

Where is he? 

And that good people is why, 

Prince Kunlun has dropped by," 

Shen had had enough of the carol-singing and Pre-christmas celebration of the suitor and whipped around, touching his pendant. The only thing keeping him sane, rendering him the strength to fight the distraught. 

Wang Yun was someone who could be be baited into any trap by a show of riches and splendour. Zhao, the fake Prince received a hearty welcome and used his excellent social skills while exchanging pleasantries with the King and the ministers. 

"Prince Kunlun, Chang will lead you to our Prince's room; where you can have a talk in private." Wang Yun was too careless to notice that the Regent certainly did not like the new entrant, especially the sceptical background of his. Deluded by the gold, he couldn't place his finger on the white lies. 

Da Qing was efficient at keeping the men busy, so they won't disturb his master and the master's consort. 

"May I come in, dearest Prince?" Zhao had the courtesy to knock the door, stubborn at saving face and not losing his shit like a teenager around their crush. 

Shen had his back towards the door. To some extent, he was fatigued of his own behaviour. With all that he had, he put on the voice he would use with other suitors to chase them away. "Aha, Prince Kunlun, welcome to my humble abode. What in the fuck do you need from me?" 

He sank on one of the chairs and crossed his legs, opening the first book that came to his hand, without looking at the other Prince. 

Zhao bit in his smile. He wanted to go his knees this instant and surrender all that he owned to Xiao Wei. It was adorable of him to use such tricks against his uncle's cold-blooded conspiracies. 

"My dearest Prince, all I need is you. That's what I'm here for." Kunlun made himself comfortable on the other chair, scanning his surroundings to look for anyone else's presence. 

Shen's gaze uplifted from the book to fuse into Kunlun's. His breath hitched into his throat. This couldn't be... It didn't take him further than a nanosecond to recognize that it was Zhao Yunlan. Undoubtedly, it had to be him. Those eyes and their shine remain unparalleled, despite how many pair of eyes Shen would look into. He would never be able to forget the twinkle of mirth in them. 

He sealed his lips in an uncalled for silence of contemplation. If Yunlan appeared at the palace in disguise, there would definitely be a reason for his pretence. He didn't want to obtsruct his saviour's plan. Two could play a game, where one plays for the other. 

"Prince Kunlun, apart from being a pain in the ass, what do you do for a living?" The words left a sour tinge at his tongue. Nevertheless, he would repay Yunlan for his kindness. 

Yunlan snorted, way too loud, "Wei-er, Wei-er, I can certainly be the pleasant ache in your ass, if you let me be." He winked, clearly unfazed by the harsh words. 

Shen blushed, he would never get used to the blunt flirting. 

The others would have screamed bloody murder at Xiao Wei's rude behaviour and been hot on the heels. Yet, he could do anything and Zhao would simply have a reason made-up to back him up. 

Oh, how Zhao had missed the pleasing sight that relieved his sore eyes. 

"Prince Wei, don't you feel like you know me from somewhere?" Yunlan crossed his fingers under the table, hoping that he wasn't wrong in assessing Shen's feelings. 

Shen wanted to yell, _Yes! How could I forget you? I have been missing you so much._ Instead, he feigned a frown, "No...?" He suppressed his selfish desires, presuming that Yunlan was here for an official task. For the nth time, the voice in his head had won over the voice in his heart, dwindling him off his wants. 

A wonderful man like him can't possibly reciprocate my feelings. He is from Haixing. Guardian must have come here for an alliance or such. That almost kiss must have been a mistake for him. I should play along his plan, instead of spoiling it. 

Yunlan's heart descended down to his stomach. But would this setback stop him from trying to court the Prince? No. If not as Yunlan, he would win the beauty's heart as Kunlun. 

"Ah, Prince Wei, that's no big deal. Let's start over. I'm Kunlun, your future husband." He put his hand forward, unabashed in his approach. 

Shen quirked a brow, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kunlun.... I'm Wei... Shen Wei." He shook the awaiting hand, and his heart skipped a couple of beats. 

_Xiao Wei, I kept my promise. We met again. Only this time, I'm the one faking my identity. Hope you don't mind it, my queen._

Shen Wei didn't let go of Yunlan's hand, till someone coughed outside the door. The sound brought him back to earth and he drew his hand back, scolding himself for his lack of self control. 

Zhao was ready to murder whoever was on the door. Alas, Kunlun, the Prince didn't have his murderous tendencies. He put on a smile at his face and said, "Come in." 

"Prince Wei, Prince Kunlun, His Highness is waiting for you at the table." The maid informed with a bow. 

The royal refused to believe that he was permitted to sit along with his Jiù Jiù while eating. "Are you sure, miss?" 

"Eh? Why wouldn't she be? Let's eat. I'm hungry as f-- as always, haha." He bared his teeth, thankful that none of the other two objected at his disrespectful tone. 

Mouth-watering fragrance lingered around the table, that could lure anyone into breaking their dieting rules and gobbling down the delicacies. Truly, Dixing was blessed with Gormet's luck. 

Shen had never eaten in public, not even once. On festive occasions, his uncle would use the premium excuse of sickness to keep him in and the naïve crowd would believe their ruler, praying for the Prince to get well soon. 

His heart drummed against his rib-cage in melancholy. His gut warned him that there was a ploy to this. The noose around his neck was tightening, and all he could do was take slower steps towards the mingling of dragons and fishes. 

"Oh, Mister Qing, you flatter me. Dixing's doors are always open for any form of trade with your kingdom," Wang Yun, merry as a monkey with a banana gushed, buttering the Genie up with words. He craned his neck to find his nephew along Kunlun and instantly his mood shifted the base. 

"Ah-Wei, weren't you complaining about stomach ache this morning? You shouldn't eat this food." From Wang's tone, it was impossible to comprehend if he had any ulterior motives. 

Shen caught upon the meaning that was left unsaid. _Go back to your room and don't show your face here again._

"Jiù Jiù is right, I don't feel so well. I will eat something later. Please enjoy your meal." He nodded at the others, placing a hand on his stomach for a good measure. 

Zhao was a detective, hints at domestic abuse couldn't escape his eyes, no matter how subtle they were. "Prince Wei, you shouldn't skip meals if your stomach hurts. Eat something light with me. I'm on a diet as well." 

Shen was a bad actor, not because of his dialogue delivery, but because of his expressions. "I... Prince Kunlun, I... I..." 

"Oh come on, do you want to delay the lunch? Have a seat, dearest Prince." Zhao ushered him to take a seat right beside Wang, whose face contorted into concealed disgust. 

Yunlan served Shen as if his only purpose in life was to keep him fed and happy. He ate the vegetables with a fake smile, unable to fathom how someone could even bear their nausea-inducing bland taste. 

Da Qing scrunched his nose. He noticed how the real Prince was wearing the look of a worried wife, while his master was acting like the protective husband who would bring the stars down to earth, if his wife asked for it. 

_Disgusting. Once they start dating, it's gonna get worse. This loser won't eat the spicy noodles without adding double the spice and here he is, becoming a hero._

If it were not for the golden trade offer that Wang Yun had been coaxed into, he would've punished Shen Wei for not insisting on leaving and going as far as to have a meal in his proximity. 

"Gentlemen, in honor of Prince Kunlun's arrival, his minister Mister Qing and I have planned to throw a feast, this evening. All the arrangements would be handled by the Regent, I have some concerns to tend to. I would appreciate your presence in this moment of pride for the kingdoms." In an elegant manner, he rose from his seat and stepped on his nephew's foot to provide him with the remainder of the rules. 

Shen's brows twitched, but he continued to eat, as though nothing had happened. 

During the rest of the day, like a puppy trails behind its owner, Yunlan followed his prince everywhere. Da Qing was glad that his current master wasn't a real dog or people would see his tail wagging in joy. 

The prince didn't mind it, in fact, he found his restless heart at ease, now that the man he was falling for, was safe, sound and in his sight. The shadow of worry still loomed over his tangled thoughts. The reason being the so-called celebration and the mission that Zhao was on. Although Shen Wei had no idea about Zhao's exact intentions, all he wanted to do was to support him unconditionally. 

In the evening, while servants were hustling around to keep the preparations upto the mark, their prince was initiating his own plans on avoiding the fest. 

"Shen Wei-ah, what are you wearing tonight? I would prefer you naked, but y'know, public sex would be a little risky for your first time. I want to be gentle with you." 

A dog's tail can never straighten. Yunlan broke the promise he had made to himself and was back to his straightforward blurting of whatever came to his wicked mind. 

The royal choked too many times on how his crush was pushing his buttons. He had thought that Yunlan was like him when it came to speaking, since he was entirely polite in their first conversation. Turns out, his judgment was clouded by the sheer awe and adrenaline. The man he liked had no sense of shame or etiquette. Not that it prodded Shen in any way, apart from his mind making up scenarios of them actually implementing the ideas into practice. 

"Prince Kunlun, mind your language. I condemn the use of such indecent terms." He picked out his read for the night and added, "Also, I am not attending the feast. I don't feel well."

That... now that was enough to shut Zhao's dirty mouth and activate his protective mode. "What's wrong? Where does it hurt? Is it your stomach again? Or is it something else? I'll stay here and take care of you, baobei." 

Dixing had its own set of traditions, when it came to display of affection. Shen's brows knit into a heavy frown. "I am not a child, zh-- Kunlun." He wondered if his behavior or actions had fell inot the category of an immature brat. 

_Great. He thinks I am a child. Way to go, Shen Wei. You had blew one chance of being close to him royally._

"Wei-er, baobei is a term of endearment. I am not insulting you. I would never." The fake prince rested his forehead against Shen's to check his temperature. 

Fever or not, Shen would definitely have a heart attack if his heart kept thumping in the irregular rhythm. Oh no, he is so close. I can feel his breath. What if we kissed? No, no. I shouldn't have such inappropriate thoughts. He isn't as interested in me. Maybe he is doing this to gel well and not raise suspicion. 

"You don't have a fever. Hmph," Zhao huffed, as if he was an experienced doctor. " He pushed Shen on the bed, trapping him in his arms. "What is it that troubles you? You're perfectly fine, physically speaking. Is it your uncle?"

The mattress was soft, even cold under the pads of the prince's fingers. His throat went dry, as subtle trembles travelled down his spine. "I... I... You... this... we..." 

His brain had short-circuited, when the other man leaned closer, till their breaths mingled. The tension in the room had gone from the one of secrets and lies to sexual in minutes. 

"I'm asking you again... what's stopping you from gracing the fest?" Only Zhao knew how much of self-restraint it took to not rip those robes off Shen Wei and ravish him right then and there. 

"I..." Shen had become a broken record, stuck at one place. 

"I'm nervous. I don't like social gatherings." At last, something coherent came out of his mouth. Thankfully, the detective moved away, satisfied with the answer, or who knows if the prince would hyperventilate with the rush of feelings inside him. 

Zhao was convinced that the statement was true. Be that as it may, he also knew that there was more to it. "I'll be by your side throughout the night. Don't worry. I've got you." 

The King gulped down -- both the old wine and the raging disrespect of his sister's son. His temper was growing thinner and thinner. While it was a good news for him, that the Kunlun guy was able to tolerate Shen, the smile on the latter's lips irked him to his very core. He had money, with no family to spend it on. He had a reputation, with no one by his side to give him a pat on the back and tell him that they were proud of him. All because of the cursed child of his Jie. 

The Regent couldn't digest the fact that his number one strategy had failed. Initially, the game was to bring his son as a suitor, when the King would lose his mind over Shen's head-strong will to not court anyone. All his hard work went downhill because of Kunlun. "There is something more to you than you show, Prince Kunlun. No worries, I will find your truth out." 

All through the evening, standing by his word, Yunlan had his hand on Shen's lower back, assisting him in greeting the civilians and the important entities. To him, the party was boring, as there was no loud music or drinks. Regardless, he enjoyed every minute of the prince doing something or nothing. Just watching him gave Zhao enough material to thirst over. 

Late in the night, overwhelmed by the intense social interaction, Shen sat on the floor of his balcony, trying to calm his racing mind. Kunlun aka Yunlan had gone to his own room --- both to Xiao Wei's relief and dismay. 

"You are the pearl of the shells at the ocean floor, 

  
I can't help myself, I want more, 

  
That pretty smile of yours has taken my heart, 

  
And in this way, I may fall apart, 

  
Cause I don't know if you feel the same, 

  
Or all of this is a game, 

  
Though it's okay if I lose, 

  
The fate of my soul, I'll let you choose." 

He sang, gently humming the lyrics, to articulate his feelings. In this gamble of hearts, it was okay for him to get the one he owns broken, as he would rather have Yunlan's heart safe. About his own self? He couldn't scrap any concern from his heart. Another heartbreak... he probably could sustain it. 

"Xiao Wei!" 

The voice came from below. For half a minute, the Prince wanted to slam his head against the wall, thinking he was imagining things, when the yell sounded closer. 

He got up to see that the self-destructive Haixingren was hanging off the balcony railing having the nerve to grin. 

"What... what on earth?!" Shen bent over, to lend him a hand. 

"Xiao Wei, do you want to go on a date with me?" He asked, with so much of leisure, as if he wasn't risking his life. 

If only Shen didn't have the temperament of a sage, he would have punched the man in the nose. 

"Shut up and give me your hand!" 

"I'd give you anything you want, my dearest Prince." Yunlan had no problem, with how numb his arms grew due to the tremendous strain on them. 

All of a sudden, his hand slipped. Shen's eyes bulged to the size of saucers. "Zhao Yunlan!" He yelled, heart leaping upto his throat. 

To leave him gobsmacked, Yunlan was standing mid-air, with a smirk on his lips. "Hello, beautiful! How did you recognize me?" 

"Shameless! So Shameless!" Shen chastised, close to tears. "That wasn't funny. I thought you die--- wait... how are you flying?!" 

Zhao chuckled, smitten by how caring the Prince was. "It's a magic carpet, baobei. I'm absolutely fine." 

"You..." Shen wiped the few tears, embarrassed at how panicked he was. 

"Xiao Wei, don't cry! If you cry, I'll cry too." Yunlan would like to slap himself in the face for the backfiring of his super romantic plan. 

Shen erased the remnants of the salty tears. "Why... do you have a carpet that floats in air?" 

"Do you trust me?" Yunlan extended his head, hit by nostalgia of their first meet. The first time his heart had felt something other than loneliness. 

Shen looked him in the eyes to confirm if the question was what he had just heard. "What did you say?" 

"Do you trust me?" Zhao repeated, staring back in a fight to not lose himself in those eyes for another time. 

Taking a step, till his toes were hitting the foot of the railing, he gave his hand to Yunlan. "I trust you." 

Zhao, with utmost care, manoeuvred his delicate beauty to the carpet, holding him by the waist.

The carpet steadily flew upwards, under the effulgence of moon, over the already fast asleep kingdom. 

"I can show you the world, 

  
Shining, shimmering and splendid,"

Zhao raised his Wei's chin with two of his fingers, tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear. "Tell me my Prince, now when did you last let your heart decide." 

The breeze was lulled an utopian melody, soothing to the heart and a pure bliss for the soul. Ethereal. Was the only word that could describe the view. 

Dixing was much more prepossessing than had been described in books. Shen Wei was wide-eyed like a kid who had learnt something new. The joy, the thrill and excitement of having an unearthly experience was sensational. 

"I can open your eyes, 

  
Take you wonder by wonder, 

  
Over, sideways and under, 

  
On a magic carpet ride." 

It was no less than a fictional adventure, as the carpet soared high up, then lowered, as if dancing to a tune of its own. 

Brighter than stars was the curve on Shen's lips, the sparkling of his eyes with euphoria that had under no circumstance had surfaced before. This was what freedom felt like. The cold air filling his lungs, no more whip marks on his back for the disobedience of stepping out of the palace or the walls confining him. No more glares from anyone or glances of judgement thrown at the tiniest of slip-up in his conduct.

"A whole new world, 

  
A new fantastic point of view, 

  
No one to tell us no, 

  
Or where to go, 

  
Or say we're only dreaming...." 

Their hands fit together like pieces of puzzle finally finding the perfect match. Fireflies hovered on the edge of the carpet, one of which landed on Yunlan's hand.

In the dim glow of the light emitted by the wondrous creature, Shen could only admire the man who gave him the saccharine taste of what freedom feels like. "You're beautiful." He blurted, voicing the strong thought of his mind. 

"Says the one who is ethereal," Zhao retorted, as the firefly winged its way away, thumbing Shen's cheekbone. 

The carpet took a sharp descend down the waterfall and while the prince braced himself for the impact, Yunlan simply kissed his cheek in reassurance that they wouldn't fall. Gliding just above the lake, Shen could see the aesthetically appealing strokes of the fishes' fin. A splash of water came from his side, as his companion threw him a look of mischief. 

The prince mimicked his move, forgetting all the worries that had previously made a home in his mind. For the first time in life, he learned what it was like to be carefree, to not fret over the consequences of every single action and that the outside world was nothing like his uncle had described. It wasn't the world that was ugly, the people dwelling in it, made it scary and unsafe to reside in. 

The night was an incredulous wonder, a perfect dream that Shen Wei didn't want to wake up from and even if morning was still away, the light of realization lit his soul up. Although the scenery was breathtakingly memorable, it was a certain someone whose smile was immeasurably more enchanting. A smile that was worth dying for. 

The carpet stilled over the middle of Dixing, where some citizens had gathered and set-up a bonfire swaying around in jolliness, clapping and stepping back and forth. 

Shen shivered lightly, as his clothes stuck close to his body. Yunlan took his scarf off and wound it around his beauty's shoulders. "What are you thinking about?" 

The other one responded with a soft laugh, "Nothing." It only made it obvious that he was thinking about something... or rather someone. 

"Oh, come on, Xiao Wei, tell me what's on that mind of yours." Zhao wished he had his phone, which he had lost while saving fat fuq. He would have snapped tens and thousands of pictures of Prince Wei and boasted about how lucky he was to meet someone like him. 

"Zhao Yunlan... what's love? What does it exactly feel like? And... uh, is there a time period of falling in love?" Shen chose the question that had been picking at his brain since last week, among the other curiosities of his. He did want to know why Yunlan had pulled this huge stunt of becoming a fake Prince, but, he trusted him to reveal the truth at the time of his choice. 

Yunlan rested his head at Shen's shoulder, "Xiao Wei, love cannot be defined in words. It's the feeling of home. One particular person becomes your world. You want nothing more but for them to be happy. Everytime they smile, you fucking lose your shit and want to squish them into a hug. Your heart forgets how to beat properly and races everytime you see him. Guarding them with all that you have becomes your only desire. That's what love is. Unconditional--" 

"Isn't this a paragraph from my diary? But... I didn't swear. Also, did you read it?! Oh my...." Shen was glad that there wasn't much of the bright light or one could see his bright red blush. 

"Ah, baobei, you're so wise! Can't escape your eyes, can I?" Zhao giggled, nuzzling his face into Shen's neck. 

The ticklish feelings caused Shen to squirm in his spot. "Yun- Yunlan..." 

"Xiao Wei, I like you. I fancy you. Will you go out on a date with me?" He caressed Shen's cheek, hoping that the answer wouldn't be a polite rejection. 

"Zhao Yunlan... I... Are you sure you want this? I, there are so many others bet-- mmph!" 

Their lips collided in the move initiated by the detective. He drew Shen closer by the waist. Kissing Shen Wei was like no other feeling in the world. No pleasure or satisfaction could compete with it. Literal speaks thundered underneath his skin, his heart thudding at a million miles per hour. Intoxication brew in the depths of his mind, that no other taste in the world could render. 

Shen was inexperienced. It was his first kiss, which came as no surprise. Somehow, it wasn't as awkward as he had imagined. On the contrary, he followed Yunlan's lead, letting him take the reins. 

Their foreheads rested against each other's, breaths stolen by the liplock. The carpet flew back to the palace, where the lovebirds stumbled inside Shen's room, kissing as if there was no tomorrow. 

Pinning the Prince to the bed, Yunlan pressed kisses tracing his jaw to his collarbone.

"Yun- Yunlan!" Shen breathed into a moan, curling his fingers around the man's shoulders. 

"Baobei, let me worship you. Let me please you, my dearest Prince." Zhao patiently waited for his beloved's answer. He would wait more if Shen didn't want it. 

"Yes, yes please." Shen had the basic knowledge on sex education and could only pray that he wouldn't ruin the mood. 

The silk robes were undone in the next moment. The inner robes were made of thinner material, even see through. Yunlan sucked a mark at Xiao Wei's collarbone, lost in the ecstasy of pleasuring the Prince. 

That was exactly the moment, when he was pushed aside by Shen Wei. 

"What's wrong, baobei?" Zhao asked, cautiously touching the trembling man. He cursed at himself for being too straight forward. Of course, Shen Wei was the type to not voice his feelings out until it got too much. 

"The pendant... where, where is it?" The royal touched his neck frantically, struck by heavy anxiety. 

"Xiao Wei, listen, hey--" 

"No! Stay... there. Don't come closer...! No--" Shen got off the bed, searching for the accessory, as desperate as a strangled man is for air. 

Zhao was as clueless as a foreigner when the natives speak among themselves in their language. He paid no heed to the younger man's warning and hugged him from behind. "Calm down. Whatever it is, I'll find it for you." 

"Zhao Yunlan! Get away from me!" 

Shen may seem like a petite Prince, who possibly wouldn't be able to pick a sword and fight. Except, that was far from the truth. He was strong enough to trash in Yunlan's grip and push him on the bed, while rapidly recoiling. 

" Where is it? I... I lost it. I should have been careful. And you? You touched me. You were close to me. You'll get affected! You should leave. I don't... I don't want anything to happen to you." Half the words spoken had been choked upon, as Shen's flustered face was full of hot tears.

The room was a mess, everything out of place starkly resembling the inner turmoil of the royal. His efforts were to no avail, as he couldn't find the jewel. 

The bearded man put two and two together, remembering that he had given that jade pendant to Shen as a gift. "Baobei, I won't get affected by anything. I don't know what--" 

"Exactly! You don't know! You don't know that it's because of me that didi and Ma are not here. It's my fault. You... you gave me one chance to live a normal life and I ruined it. I ruined it..." He slumped down the wall, voice lowered to a whisper of dejection. 

Zhao's bottom lip quivered. His Prince did not deserve this. Even if the angels were to tell him that Shen Wei killed someone, he would refuse to believe it. The man wouldn't harm a fly, much less harm someone from his family. 

"Xiao Wei..." He kneeled in front of the man, enveloping him in a much-needed embrace. He let his hand stroke Shen's back, taking note of the ridges on it. His heart, as if hadn't been torn because of his precious crying, had once again been ripped out and stomped over. He was right. The Prince was being abused. That bastard of an uncle had brainwashed him into thinking of himself as an omen. 

"You'll get affected... Please... Ah Lan... I'm sorry... Please..." Shen didn't have the energy to bawl his eyes out. He could only fumble out broken apologies. 

"Xiao Wei, nothing will happen to me. Nothing." He repeatedly kissed the top of Shen's head, holding him closer than ever. 

"Tell me, in the whole week, did anyone in the palace fall ill?" He enquired, pressing his lips to the shell of the prince's ear. 

"No...? It was because of your pendant..." His voice was hoarse, yet better than before, a little stable. 

"That pendant was an ordinary one. I was spouting bullshit to comfort you. Shen Wei, whatever your jiù jiù, motherfucking asshole had ingrained in your mind is all lies. All that happened was a series of unfortunate coincidences. None of it was your doing." He stated, firm and certain, reading the doubt in Shen's red-rimmed eyes. 

Shen was about express his discontent over Yunlan's streak of lies, when the door flung open, cue a fuming Wang Yun. 

"How dare you?! How dare a Haixingren step inside my palace?!" He sneered, fist clenched around the spine of his sword. 

Da Qing appeared in front of Yunlan, becoming his shield. "Calm your tits, human. I can wipe your existence if you hurt my master!" 

"You little slut!" He glared at his nephew, whose face was buried in the Guardian's chest. "Opening your legs for the first person you see! Is that what we've taught you?! If it weren't for the Regent, I would have never known that this Kunlun, is actually the Guardian!" 

The Prince took all the insults, without flinching. 

"Mind your tongue, you bigoted piece of shit! What do you think of yourself, huh?" Zhao yelled, slyly tracing some words on Shen's back. _Get me a paper and a pen._

Taking the limelight, as the centre of attention, he stood tall with a plan in mind. Perks of being from the modern era? It's easier to connect the happenings and take corrective actions. Till now, he wanted to do things in the appropriate manner -- coax Shen Wei out of his shell, break his inhibitions and establish peaceful relations between Haixing and Dixing. When framing his strategy he hadn't known that the King was inhumane to the extent that he tortured his nephew passive-aggressively, day in and day out. Not to mention, he kind of desired a fairy-tale like reality with his Prince, as the best was what the man deserved. 

Shen slid the demanded commodities into Yunlan's hand, standing beside him, devoid of any expression. The latter nodded at Da Qing, who gave him the time to scribble his wish down by distracting Wang. 

"Wang Yun, why do you trust your Regent so much? He could be a professional liar. Is it worth trusting a lousy minister and disregarding your own nephew? Would your Jie approve of it?" The Yashou started his trick of dismantling Wang Yun's exercise of strong mental control. 

The King's face paled, as salt was sprinkled on his yet-to-heal wounds. "Shut up! This waste of space is the reason why I lost my family! My unborn child! He is but a curse! The stupid civilians love him for God-knows-what reason and that is why I'm letting him breathe." 

Yunlan handed the paper to the Genie from behind and took the turn to counter the King's baseless argument. "You need therapy, Wang-Wang. You live in this own bubble of yours, crafted by that measly Regent, who might I tell you, is using your dumbass to be the mind behind your decisions! He won't kill you, instead he will use you as a robot!" 

Wang tilted his head in confusion, "What's therapy? What's a robot?"

Intellectual Shen Wei broke his silence to avoid his uncle's disastrous attempt at concealing his lack of knowledge, "Therapy is---"

"My Lord! This Genie had knocked me out when I was accompanying you!" Panted the Regent, leaning against the door frame. "They are all traitors!"

Da Qing put in no effort in hiding his laughter. Wheezing, he managed to speak, "You really thought that this brat would come here without using his two braincells?"

______

"Here you are! Prince Kunlun!" The feline was content with his work, blowing on his nails as though he was drying the nail polish. 

"Fatty, you really are something..." Zhao muttered, eyeing his reflection in the body-length mirror. His hair had grown down till his waist, the previous muddy robes were replaced by clean turquoise ones. Any stranger would assume him to be a divine deity, as no prince would have an aura of this type in an unpretentious attire. 

"You asked me to tone it down or you would look even more fabulous." The Genie sipped on the drink in his hand, "And why are we waiting for a week? What if someone else woos your Prince?" 

Yunlan raised his finger in an accusatory gesture, "Don't be a doomsayer. This is the risk I need to take. If he really does feel something, he will wait for me. I cannot abandon the task at hand. Do you really think that I will walk into the enemy's lair without examining his strengths and weaknesses?" 

"Just so you know, I am not going to become a spy for you. Their seal will detect my presence if I stay longer than a few hours." Pointed out the Yashou, letting out an indignified burp. 

"A cat will always be a cat." Zhao sighed, "I know what to do. We will stay among the civilians, learn what goes on in this strange kingdom of my Prince. And strike at the right time." 

________

"Shadowing you was so easy, you noodle-head. You are always lurking outside this lavish house of theirs, plotting against the Prince with that boy toy of yours." The Genie had been requested by Zhao to follow the Regent and figure out who he exactly was, since the civilians didn't know much about the minister, except the fact that he was closest to the King. 

"Zhu Jiu is not my boy toy!" Red-faced and furious at the remark, lashed out the elderly traitor. 

"Silence!" Thundered the King pointing his weapon at his minister. "Tell me the truth, Regent and I will spare your life. Are these low-life swines right? Did you take undue advantage of my kindness?" 

Zhao hid his face into his Prince's shoulders to muffle his laughter. "If he is kind, then I am pregnant." 

Shen slapped his back in reprimand, "Indecent!" 

"Baobei, no worries. You are the one, who would bear our children." He pat the other's stomach and smirked. 

Stupefied at the audacity of his partner, to find humour in a sensitive situation, he was speechless. 

The colour of Regent's eyes morphed but this time he couldn't put his play into progress, the Genie had his magic swirl around him.

"Aiyo, noodle-head! I am right here. And you had one job of being a discreet deceitful man! Tsk-tsk, you fail! My master has wished for me to feed you the truth serum!" Da Qing tossed the crumpled paper in the air and a bottle of purple liquid materialized in his hands.

"You could have done this before. Why did you come as a suitor? Was I a part of your plan? You should've---" 

Zhao slammed his lips on his boyfriend's, effectively shutting him up. In his opinion, there was no better way than to make-out with your hot boyfriend, to get your enemy all riled up. 

A slave of love, Shen returned the kiss with all his devotion, feeling his uncle's stare focused on them. 

"Shameless brutes! Don't touch my nephew!" 

Yunlan only smirked in the kiss, tongue pressed against Shen's in the open-mouthed liplock. 

"Wang Yun," The Regent's gaze was unfocused, as though he was drunk. Everyone else dropped whatever they were doing, now curious as to what the traitor had to say. 

"Shen Wei is lucky, really. He was supposed to die with your sister and his twin. God-knows-how my poison failed to work. The healer? He lied. I told him to do so. You want to know why? Because even after serving this kingdom for thirty-years, I got nothing more than this damn position that will be taken away next year, owing to the rule of age. Your wife and kid? I poisoned them, or you would have adopted your nephew and given him the throne! I... dont want the throne. My requirement is only the power that comes with it." In one go, the horrendous truth was out in the open. 

Shen Wei had to process the words, but his mind had already registered most of it. No medicine in the world could contain the rage that he felt, the agony that had his soul writhing, had him begging for death. All of this for what? For someone around him was too greedy. Selfish enough to take lives and be the wolf under the clothing of a sheep. 

Zhao's gaze swung from the Regent to the royal. He knew better then to intervene in the confrontation. It was the apt closure for the chapter of torment in his Wei's life. 

Shen Wei laughed. He laughed, hunching over and slapping the desk nearby. The others had their own set of reactions. Da Qing gnawed on his lower lip, transforming into a cat, sitting by Yunlan's feet, who picked him up, scratching behind his ears to calm his own nerves. It was the calm before the storm. Wang Yun was too stunned to voice the thousand words stuck at the back of his throat. 

The Regent, influenced by the truth serum, was like a robot, monotonous speech and expression. 

"You killed my parents. You killed my twin. You killed my aunt and her child..." Shen's voice grew menacing, the suppressed rage of repression was evident. 

As immoral as it was, Yunlan would love to drive all others away, turned on by this side of the Prince.

"Jiù Jiù chose to believe you... and me? I blamed myself every single second of the day... Haha, this is... this is so funny!" His nostrils flared and voice rose with every word. 

"You wanted power, right? Let me give you the power!" He roared, pouncing on the Regent. 

Wang Yun's sword was taken from him by his nephew, who was no longer in his composed state of mind. 

A thought did occur to Shen. To leave it to the law. Have faith in the system. It made another snicker pass past his lips. The system itself was corrupted, with the deeply rooted parochial views of the society. How could he rest assured that justice would be served to his loved ones? Even if he gets death penalty, he would welcome his end with open arms, instead of living a long life of regret that he couldn't differentiate between the wrong and the right. 

Wang Yun's conscience had come conscious. He wouldn't let his nephew act recklessly. Or... so he thought. 

The duo engaged in a tussle with the sword, one hell-bent had vengeance, the other trying to make amends. 

"Shen Wei! Leave the sword! If you kill him, you can't become the ruler!" 

"To hell with the kingdom! I do not want anything of yours!" 

"Xiao Wei, he is right for the first time," Yunlan neared him, as if tiptoeing on a thin slice of ice. 

"Ah Lan, stay out of this," Seeing that the Prince was slightly distracted, Wang tried to take the weapon away. Too bad. Not only was this a terrible idea, but also was poorly executed. 

It happened in a blink of an eye, the sword was pushed deep into Shen's chest, narrowly missing his heart. Blood spurt from his mouth, knees hitting the ground. 

"Xiao Wei!" 

With an exceptional strength, he pulled the bloody sword out and lodged it into the Regent's stomach. Death or not, his resolve wouldn't be left unfulfilled. 

The last thing his memory captured was Yunlan's scream and a pair of arms preventing his further collapse. 

_____

"...you are so stupid, Shen Wei. I want to punch you in the stomach for your idiocy. How could you... Being feral is hot. Killing a bad guy is okay. You... You took this shit on an extreme level..." 

"Shut... up." Grunted Shen Wei, unable to tolerate the person's rambling along the beeping sound of a machine. 

"Xiao Wei! You're awake. I was so worried. You stupid, sexy Prince, I was gonna die out of stress." 

Out of all the people Shen Wei knew, there was only one person who had no brakes to hit, when he starts talking. 

Opening his eyes, he realized he wasn't in his room. Neither was it any other room of the Palace. 

The detective identifies the confusion and clears it up, "You're in Haixing. At a hospital. Let me summarize things for you." He planted a chaste kiss at his baobei's forehead. 

"Your uncle regrets what he did. Blah blah. He is in jail now. The Adminsitration will take over Dixing, with you as the Chief Representative of the people. We can discuss this and tell me what you want. If they mess with you, I will kill them. The Regent is dead. Haha, that was cool of you. Oh and we have a catson now, say hello to A-Qing." He finished, taking a breath to compensate for his too much talking. 

Surprisingly, Shen grasped the entire information without slapping anyone in the face for his headache. 

Da Qing climbed at his father's chest, snuggling into his neck, mewling softly. His master--- or let's say, dad, had used the last wish to set him free from the obligation of serving his saviours, only to adopt him. 

"...Wait... my hair... What did you do to my hair?!" Shen Wei screeched, reaching out for his head. 

"My dearest Prince, Fatty had to cast a spell on you. It was my genius idea. I don't want people to have a crush on you. Though it's impossible!" Zhao sighed, playing with his Wei's fluffy, short hair. 

Shen decided to stall the explanation process for later. At least his hair was intact. 

"I don't know what came over me... I.. Do you hate me, now?" He mentally cringed at what he had done that night, going against his own principles. 

"I think you have a hearing problem. I said our son. Baobei, I could never hate you. Your anger was justified. Also, you're hot. So free pass for you." The SID Chief wiggled his brows, with a wink. 

The Prince's brows were tugged into a frown, which Zhao had a love-hate relationship with. It was adorable yet didn't suit his likes. 

"Do you trust me?" 

The feline was intrigued at what his father's answer would be, expecting him to say something rational like _you lied to me so much_ or _only if you promise this and this._

As if the answer would ever be negative. "I trust you." 

And if Da Qing regretted being adopted by the two disgustingly cute lovers, one couldn't blame him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever after...! 
> 
> Okay, Okay, don't look at me like that.

**Author's Note:**

> Let's see if Yunlan can woo his Prince, or will the plans be foiled by someone else.


End file.
